G

HIS WORD IS THE TRUTH

[SURAH AL-'AN`M (VERSE 73)]

Q&A WITH SAYYIDI TJUSH SHARIAH, MUFT

AKHTAR RIDHA KHAN AL-BAREILLWI

RELEASED BY

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CATEGORY: 'AQA'ID
TOPIC: IMKAN AL-KADHIB
RELEASE DATE: 1 RAB AL-THN 1431 (19TH MARCH 2010)
TRANSLATION SUPPLIED BY: SAYYID AHMAD-FAIZ & JUNAID YASN

QUESTION: A new Muslim1 scholar, impressed by some Deobandi, has claimed that it is
not impossible for Allh to lie, though Allh will not. What do the scholars of Islm say with
regards to this statement? Can the claimant be regarded as a Sunni or is he misguided?

ANSWER: He cannot be a Sunni. He is certainly misguided. This belief of the

Deobandis is a resulting combination [murakab] of many infidelities [kufr] and it is,
consequently, for this reason that several instances of the necessitation of infidelity
[al Kufr al Luzmi] fall upon the Deobandis and the Wahhbs. Those who put forth
such beliefs are infidels [kuffr]; this is the judgement of the Fuqha.

It is the fixed belief of the Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jamah and even some misguided
[btil] schools of thought such as the Mu`tazilah2 that Allhs Divine Entity is free

1
In this context, it is one who has formally accepted the religion of Islam.
[muhal bil Dht] from all types of imperfection and decrement. To be a liar is a defect.
Though there are millions of people in the world who lie day and night, it is a defect
of such proportionality that even these people will be offended if they are
considered to be liars! And regardless of how low a person [in social standing] may
be; he shall certainly not abide with being termed a liar.

The understanding of the Deobandis and the Wahhbs is strange as they are
prepared to use such terms of offense in relation to Allh by claiming that it is
possible for Allh to lie. Firstly, Allahs Divine Entity is necessary in Itself [Wajib bil-
Dhat]. The Divine Entity [Dht] of Allh and His Divine Attributes [Sifft] are pre-
existent without end [Qadm], eternal [Abadi] and pre-eternally existent [Azali]. And
there is no Attribute that was inexistent in a point in time and thereafter attained (at
a later point in time) and similarly, the Supreme and Divine Lord cannot be divested
of any of His Divine Attributes.

Thus, if one claims that Allh can lie, then he has accepted the possibility in Allh
attaining an Attribute formerly inexistent and subsequently attained. Not only does
this belief assume the Divine Entity to be a setting of occurrence, it furthermore
deems all of the Divine Attributes to be Hdith3. This accordingly becomes a negation
of His Divine Entity [Dht].

And whosoever claims that the Attributes of Allh are created or transient, or even
doubts therein, is a disbeliever in Allh, the Almighty; this is the verdict of Imm
Ab Hanfah, may Allh be pleased with him. The belief of the Mu`tazilah is that the
Kalm of Allh [Most High] the Qurn is created. This is the rationale for the
consensus [Ijm'] of the Influential Companions [Sahabah], the Successors [Tb`n]
and the Guiding Leaders of the Religion [Aimma al Mujtahidn] in classifying them as
infidels.

The Deobandis have not only accepted the Attributes of Allh [Most High] to be
Hdith but they have moreover attributed to Him the marred potentiality to lie. This
is indeed an enormous transgression against Allh [Most High] and it is one that
deems the Shariah to be wholly uncertain; for it would be possible to say that Allh
[Most High] lied about Jannah, Jahannam and it even places doubt upon the Kalimah.
If we were to accept the possibility in Allh the Almighty, lying then, in effect, there
would no longer be any Sharia, Imn or Tawhd. So, it is quite remarkable for the
Wahhbs, claiming to hold onto Tawhd, to make such claims.

2 It was founded by Wasil ibn Ata in approximately the 200 A.H, who was a student of the famous mystic and
scholar al-Hasan al-Basri [may Allah be pleased with him]. He left the way of his teacher following a theological
debate and established his own school of thought in approximately 200 A.H.
3 Originated; brought into being
Imm Ahmad Ridha, the Imm of the Ahl as-Sunnah, may Allh be pleased with
him, has refuted these incorrect views in a very enlightening manner in his
manuscripts, Subn as-Subb n Kadhibi ybin Maqb and Al-Qaml Mubn li
mlil Mukadhdhibn. Herein, he has elucidated in detail the grounds for infidelity
in the view of the Fuqha. If a new Muslim who is unaware, comes out of this belief
of the Deobandis and repents then he is Sunni, else he is worthy of dissociation.